On Politics

A History of Political Thought: From Herodotus to the Present

By: Alan Ryan

Narrated by: David Stifel

Three decades in the making, one of the most ambitious and comprehensive histories of political philosophy in nearly a century.

Both a history and an examination of human thought and behavior spanning three thousand years, On Politics thrillingly traces the origins of political philosophy from the ancient Greeks to Machiavelli in Book I and from Hobbes to the present age in Book II. Whether examining Lord Acton's dictum that "absolute power corrupts absolutely" or explicating John Stuart Mill's contention that it is "better to be a human dissatisfied than a pig satisfied," Alan Ryan evokes the lives and minds of our greatest thinkers in a way that makes hearing about them a transcendent experience. Whether writing about Plato or Augustine, de Tocqueville or Thomas Jefferson, Ryan brings a wisdom to his text that illuminates John Dewey's belief that the role of philosophy is less to see truth than to enhance experience. With this unparalleled tour de force, Ryan emerges in his own right as one of the most influential political philosophers of our time.

©2012 Alan Ryan (P)2022 Tantor

Open, honest

Panoramic view of western political philosophy. Great thinker perspective, primarily, shifting to topical for the 20th century.

A concise overview for curious laymen

An engaging book to listen to! The author provides an excellent overview of Western political philosophy. I bought a hard copy afterwards so that I could reference particular sections in the future.

A fascinating and thorough review

If you want to learn about political philosophy and political history in the West, you should probably read this book. It’s fair, thorough, and very interesting. For non history buffs (such as myself), it can be a little hard to follow at certain points. Nevertheless, it’s a great lay introduction to the history of political thought.

Very Thorough

Great overview of political ideas over time. I recommend listening to it slowly over time and with a physical copy nearby when you do.

Political philosophy made clear

Judicious coverage, well written, well spoken . Not an easy thing to do. Well worth the time.